Roast Duck Shooter's-Style Sandwich With Pickled Carrots, Daikon, Cucumber, and Hoisin Sauce Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated April 06, 2021
20140315-duck-pickle-pressed-sandwich-shooter-primary-610.jpg
Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Peking-style roast duck is packed into a sandwich with quick-pickled carrots and daikon radish, sliced cucumbers, and hoisin sauce. The flavors are inspired by Chinese sesame pancakes, but when pressed under heavy weights for several hours, it turns into a neat, flavor-packed meal.

Why this recipe works:

  • We take flavor cues from Chinese sesame pancakes. Sweet hoisin, rich duck, and fresh cucumbers and pickles in perfect balance.
  • Pressing the sandwich under a heavy weight and slicing while wrapped produces neat, easy to pack and easy to eat serving portions.

Note: Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon are easy to make at home, or can be bought in most Vietnamese supermarkets and sandwich shops.

Recipe Details

Roast Duck Shooter's-Style Sandwich With Pickled Carrots, Daikon, Cucumber, and Hoisin Sauce Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 4 hrs 20 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 loaf rustic country sourdough or ciabatta bread
  • 2 cups homemade or store-bought Vietnamese Pickled Daikon and Carrots
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • Picked meat and skin from 1 whole homemade or store-bought Peking duck, roughly chopped

Directions

  1. Toss cucumbers with a large pinch of kosher salt in a colander and place in the sink to drain. Slice off the top 1 to 1 1/2-inches of the loaf of bread using a bread knife. Cut around the perimeter of the interior crumb, making sure not to break through the bottom crust, then use your hand to lift out the excess bread from the inside, leaving you with a hollow bread boat.

  2. Transfer cucumbers to a salad spinner and spin to remove excess moisture. Set aside. Repeat with pickled carrots and daikon. Layer half oc cucumbers and half of pickles in the bottom of the bread bowl. Top with half the sauce, using a spoon to spread it around. Top with duck meat and duck skin, followed by the remaining pickled, and remaining cucumbers. Spread remaining sauce on the cut side of the sandwich top and close sandwich.

  3. Wrap sandwich tightly in aluminum foil or burtcher's paper, then place in between two stiff cutting boards. Place a heavy weight on top (about 40 pounds), press down firmly to flatten sandwich, then let rest under the weight at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to overnight (keep an eye on the sandwich to ensure that it is pressing evenly).

  4. When ready to eat, remove weights, slice sandwich into four to six pieces through paper or foil with a bread knife, unwrap, and serve.

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